Adjustable chair

ABSTRACT

A four-legged chair having a seat with a back adjustable between a straight position and an inclined rest position relative to the seat and through use of push button release mechanisms associated with each of the arm rests of the seat.

United States Patent Roscoe May 13, 1975 [54] ADJUSTABLE CHAIR 2,173,7709/1939 Stantow 297/355 X 2,690,793 10 1954 P d [76] Inventor: Joan C.Roscoe, 27 Merryfield Ave., e erson 297/359 Waterville, Maine 04901FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [22 Filed: g 5 1974 l02,997 11/1941Sweden 297/355 [2]] Appl' 495035 Primary Examiner-Roy D. FrazierAssistant Examiner-Peter A. Aschenbrenner [52] US. Cl 297/355; 297/360{PIILIdCLfU 57 S C 1 le 0 earc A four-legged chair having a seat with aback adjust- [56] References Cited able between a straight position andan inclined rest position relative to the seat and through use of pushUNITED STATES PATENTS button release mechanisms associated with each ofthe Brown t X arm rests of the seat 795,535 7/1905 Nabal 2,173,2839/1939 Lorenz et a1 297/359 X 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ADJUSTABLECHAIR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Thisinvention relates generally to chairs and more particularly to a noveland improved chair including arm rests having push button releasemechanisms associated with the back of the chair for moving the chairback between a vertical upright position and a reclined rest positionfor the complete comfort of an individual using the chair.

2. Description of the Prior Art Chairs of various types, structures andconfigurations are known in the prior art, with some of such chairshaving inclining seats, reclining back rests, foot rests, and the likerequiring complex linkage mechanisms and operating mechanisms such thatthe chairs are expensive to manufacture and thus expensive to purchaseat the retail level. Accordingly, while many individuals would desire toown such a chair, such individuals hesitate to purchase the same due tothe high initial cost thereof, and if the individual should incur suchexpense, it is quite doubtful as to whether more than a single chairwould be purchased due to the high initial cost, even though theindividual might desire to have a set of the chairs about the house.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention recognizes theappealability of chairs having reclining back rests to individuals, andrecognizing the high cost and complex mechanism associated withpresently available chairs having reclining features, provides a novelsolution thereto in the form of a chair having novel arm rest supportswith telescopically adjustable sliding members disposed therein andconnected to the back rest for ease of push button release on the arm'rest for adjusting the angle of reclining of the back rest between avertical upright position and the maximum reclining position.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a novel chairstructure having a reclining back rest.

A further feature of the present invention provides a chair structurehaving a reclining back rest and which is relatively simple in itsconstruction and which therefore may be readily manufactured at arelatively low cost and by simple manufacturing methods utilizingreadily available materials so as to be competitively priced at a retaillevel with chairs not having the reclining feature, the retail pricebeing sufficiently low to encourage widespread use and purchase of thechair.

Still a further feature of the present invention provides a novel chairstructure with reclining back rests which is easy to use and reliableand efficient in operation, and which is of a rugged and durableconstruction such that it may be guaranteed by the manufacturer towithstand many years of intended usage.

Still yet a further feature of the present invention provides a novelchair with reclining back rest which is of an aesthetically pleasing andrefined appearance.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification, and in which like reference characters areemployed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a chair having a reclining backrest in accord with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the back rest;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the armsupport of the chair and the positions of the back rest;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion ofthe arm rest with the push button release mechanism disclosed in detail;and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings indetail there is illustrated a preferred form of a chair structure havinga reclining back rest and which is constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention and which is designated generally inits entirety by the reference numeral 10, the chair comprised generallyof a pair of inverted generally U-shaped supporting legs 11 supporting aseat 12 between their bight portions 13 and each bight portion havingweldingly affixed at one end thereof an end of an arcuate semi-circularhollow tubular arm rest 14 having telescopically slidably re ceivedtherein associated ones of the back rest arcuate semi-circular supports15 which, in turn, are secured by bolting or welding to opposite bottomends of generally flat back rest 16.

Each of the arm rests 14 are of a hollow semi-circular tubularconfiguration having end 21 permanently affixed to bight portion 13 ofan associated pair of the legs 11, the opposite end 22 terminating at aposition adjacent the front end portion of the seat 12. An arcuateextending tubular passageway 23 extends between ends 21 and 22. The sidewalls 24 are provided with an elongated rectangular slot extendinglongitudinally circumferally along the innermost surface of the sidewall at the maximum vertical height area thereof.

A circular aperture 31 extends through the topmost portion of the sidewall 24 on the forward portion of the arm rest 14. A release button 32is associated with each aperture 31 and has an enlarged button shapedhead portion 33 with a bottom surface 34 resting on the top portion ofside wall 24 and with a cylindrical shank 35 having one end connected tobottom surface 34 and extending outwardly therefrom through aperture 31and diametrically through passageway 23 and terminating adjacent thediametric opposite end of passageway 23. A radially extending flatwasher member 36 is affixed concentrically inwardly of the bottom end 37of the shaft 35 with there being disposed concentrically with the shaftintermediate washer 36 and the interior of passageway 23 about aperture31 a spiral coiled spring 38 resiliently biasing washer member 36 andshaft 35 in a direction inwardly of passageway 23.

Telescopically received concentric with outer arm rests 14 in passageway23 are the arcuate tubes 15 supporting back rest 16, the tubes beingdisposed concentrically in passageway 23 and slidable therealong betweenselective positions varying from the back rest 16 being disposed in avertically upright position, and back rest 16 being set in its maximumreclined position, such as designed by reference numeral 16 in FIG. 3.

Each of the tubes 15 are of a hollow configuration having back end 41and a front end 42 defining a passageway 43 therebetween as defined byside walls 44.

An elongated rectangularly shaped longitudinally extending slot 45extends circumferally along the central forward top portion of sidewalls 44 to permit telescopic sliding movement of tube 15 within armrest 14 with the slots passing about the coiled spring 38 and shank 35without interfering with the operation of thereof. Disposed in thecentral forward bottom portion of side walls 44 in the general vicinityof the slot 45 and diametrically opposed therefrom are a plurality ofaligned circumferally extending and spaced apart openings 46 eachadapted to be placed in axial registration with shaft 35 for engagementthereby to retain the tubes 15 in selectable telescopic positions withinarm rests 14.

A support bracket 51 of a flat generally triangular shape has its baseedge 52 of an arcuate configuration in engagement with side walls 44along the central bottom portion thereof and affixed thereto, thebracket projecting outwardly of the side walls 24 of arm rests 14through slot 25 and being pivotally connected by a pivot pin 53 to abracket 54 associated with the sides of seat 12, the support bracketextending beyond the pivot point and terminating in a terminal end 55having a leading edge 56 and a trailing edge 57 which are adapted toengage stop members 58 and 59 respectively which determine the maximumreclined position and the maximum upright position of the back rest 16.The stop members 58 and 59 are preferably blocks which are affixed tothe bracket 54 or to the sides of the seat 12.

Side walls 44 adjacentmost to the tubular support members 61 of backrest 16 adjacent end 41 are affixed thereto, such as by welding, bolts,or the like, with there being provided an arcuate slot 62 in the sidewalls 24 of arm rests 14 adjacent end 21 to permit for the sliding oftube 15 therethrough to guide the back rest 16 between the selectedupright and selected reclined positions.

In operation, an individual sitting in seat 12 lifts up on the heads 33of release buttons 32 to free the terminal end 37 from apertures 46,adjusts the back rest 16 to the desired angle within the limits of stopmembers 58 and 59, and then releases the release buttons 32 which areurged by spring 38 in a downward direction to engage an aperture 46 tolock the back rest in the selected position.

There is thus provided a novel chair structure having a selectablyadjustable back rest movable between an upright position and a reclinedposition, the reclining mechanism being of an inexpensive and readilymanufactured structure requiring no maintenance or repair problems and,as such, should meet with widespread commercial acceptance.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shownand described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, andthat this invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement ofparts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in thisspecification as various changes in the details of construction as toshape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the novelconcepts thereof, or the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed l. A chaircomprising:

a pair of spaced apart inverted generally U-shaped leg members eachhaving a top bight portion;

a horizontal seat resting on the bight portions and secured thereto;

a pair of arm rests, one arm rest associated with each leg member andhaving one end fixedly attached to a back end of the associated legmember bight portion with the arm rest projecting upwardly and forwardlytherefrom in an arcuate semi-circular manner;

a passageway defined interiorly of each arm rest member and extendingaxially therethrough;

a tubular member telescopically received in each of the arm restpassageways and movable axially therealong;

control means associated with each arm rest member and engagable witheach tube member telescopically received therein to selectively lock thetube member in any selected telescopic position therein;

a pair of bracket members, each bracket member associated with one ofthe tubular members at a central portion thereof and extending outwardlytherefrom through appropriate slots in the arm rest members to aposition adjacent opposite sides of the seat;

pivot means pivotally connecting the projecting free end portion of eachbracket to the seat for guided pivotal movement of the bracketthereabout;

a pair of stop members associated with the terminal end of each bracketon each side of the seat, the stop members being disposed in front andin back of the leading and trailing edges respectively of the terminaledge to limit the maximum rearward and forward angular pivotal movementof the bracket relative to the seat; and

a generally flat back rest member including side supports interconnectedby a top edge and a bottom edge and extending intermediate the arm restmembers adjacent the back end portions thereof, each side edge beingfixedly attached to an adjacentmost end of the telescopic tubular memberwithin the associated arm rest member for simultaneous movementtherewith as permitted by an arcuate slot extending through a side wallportion of the arm rest member at the back portion thereof;

whereby telescopic movement of the tubular member forwardly of the armrest members effects the movement of the back rest member to a maximumupright position as determined by the stop member engaging the trailingedge of the bracket, and sliding telescopic movement of the tubularmember rearwardly of the arm rest members places the back rest member atany selected reclined position up to a maximum reclined positiondetermined by the stop member engaging the leading edge of the supportbrackets.

2. The chair as set forth in claim 1 wherein each arm rest member is ofa hollow unitary tubular configuration bent into an arcuatesemi-circular shape having a back end, a front end, a tubular passagewayextending therethrough, and surrounding side walls; an elongatedrectangularly shaped longitudinally extending slot disposed in thecentral bottom portion of the arcuate side walls and extendingcircumferally therealong intermediate the front and back portionsthereof and of a size to permit the support bracket to pass freelytherethrough and move freely therealong during telescopic adjustmentmovements of the tubular back rest members; and an aperture extendingdiametrically through a top portion of the side walls diametricallyopposed to the slot and forwardly thereof for association with therelease button; and an arcuately curved slot extending along the sidewall in communication with the passageway from a position adjacent thearm rest member back end to a position forwardly thereof, the side wallsurface in which the slot is disposed being that surface adjacentmost tothe side of the chair seat.

3. The chair as set forth in claim 2 wherein the back rest tubularmembers each comprise a hollow arcuately curved semi-circular tubularmember of a diameter to be telescopically received within the arm restmember passageway and slidable axially therethrough, the tubular memberhaving a front end, a back end, a hollow passageway extendingtherethrough, and side walls disposed in guiding juxtaposition with theinterior side walls of the arm rest passageway; an elongatedrectangularly shaped longitudinally extending slot disposed along a topportion of the tubular side walls in a position about the arm restmember aperture so as to not interfere with operation of the releasebutton during telescopic movement of the tubular member relative to thearm rest member; a plurality of longitudinally spaced apartdiametrically extending holes disposed in the tubular member side wallsalong the forward bottom portion thereof, the holes adapted to bebrought into axial registration with a portion of the release button forselective locking of telescopic movement of the tubular member in thearm rest member; the back rest including a pair of side supportingmembers terminating at a horizontal top edge and a horizontal bottomedge, the side supporting members of the back rest adjacent the bottomedge thereof being associated with one of the tubular members and fixedthereto through the associated arcuate slots of the arm rest memberssuch that rearward movement of the tubular members relative to the armrest members will effect the reclining movement of the back rest, withforward movement of the tubular members in the arm rest member effectingthe movement of the back rest toward the upright vertical position.

4. The chair as set forth in claim 3 wherein the release buttoncomprises:

an enlarged button shaped head member having a flat bottom surfaceadapted to restingly engage the top portion of the arm rest member aboutthe aperture extending therethrough; an elongated solid cylindricalshaft having one end affixed to the bottom surface of the head portionwith the shaft extending outwardly therefrom through the arm rest memberaperture and through the associated tubular member slot inwardly of thearm rest and tubular member passageway and terminating adjacent theopposite end of the arm rest passageway, the shaft being of a diameterto be removably received within the openings in the tubular members tolockingly adjust the position of the tubular member relative to the armrest member; a washer shaped disc secured to the shaft adjacent theterminal end thereof and forming an angular shoulder thereabout; and aspiral coil spring disposed concentrically about the shaft between theshoulder forming washer member and the interior surface of the arm restmember immediately about the arm rest member aperture and biasing theshaft inwardly of the passageway for engagement with any one of theadjustment openings of the tubular member which are brought into axialregistration therewith.

1. A chair comprising: a pair of spaced apart inverted generallyU-shaped leg members each having a top bight portion; a horizontal seatresting on the bight portions and secured thereto; a pair of arm rests,one arm rest associated with each leg member and having one end fixedlyattached to a back end of the associated leg member bight portion withthe arm rest projecting upwardly and forwardly therefrom in an arcuatesemicircular manner; a passageway defined interiorly of each arm restmember and extending axially therethrough; a tubular membertelescopically received in each of the arm rest passageways and movableaxially therealong; control means associated with each arm rest memberand engagable with each tube member telescopically received therein toselectively lock the tube member in any selected telescopic positiontherein; a pair of bracket members, each bracket member associated withone of the tubular members at a central portion thereof and extendingoutwardly therefrom through appropriate slots in the arm rest members toa position adjacent opposite sides of the seat; pivot means pivotallyconnecting the projecting free end portion of each bracket to the seatfor guided pivotal movement of the bracket thereabout; a pair of stopmembers associated with the terminal end of each bracket on each side ofthe seat, the stop members being disposed in fronT and in back of theleading and trailing edges respectively of the terminal edge to limitthe maximum rearward and forward angular pivotal movement of the bracketrelative to the seat; and a generally flat back rest member includingside supports interconnected by a top edge and a bottom edge andextending intermediate the arm rest members adjacent the back endportions thereof, each side edge being fixedly attached to anadjacentmost end of the telescopic tubular member within the associatedarm rest member for simultaneous movement therewith as permitted by anarcuate slot extending through a side wall portion of the arm restmember at the back portion thereof; whereby telescopic movement of thetubular member forwardly of the arm rest members effects the movement ofthe back rest member to a maximum upright position as determined by thestop member engaging the trailing edge of the bracket, and slidingtelescopic movement of the tubular member rearwardly of the arm restmembers places the back rest member at any selected reclined position upto a maximum reclined position determined by the stop member engagingthe leading edge of the support brackets.
 2. The chair as set forth inclaim 1 wherein each arm rest member is of a hollow unitary tubularconfiguration bent into an arcuate semi-circular shape having a backend, a front end, a tubular passageway extending therethrough, andsurrounding side walls; an elongated rectangularly shaped longitudinallyextending slot disposed in the central bottom portion of the arcuateside walls and extending circumferally therealong intermediate the frontand back portions thereof and of a size to permit the support bracket topass freely therethrough and move freely therealong during telescopicadjustment movements of the tubular back rest members; and an apertureextending diametrically through a top portion of the side wallsdiametrically opposed to the slot and forwardly thereof for associationwith the release button; and an arcuately curved slot extending alongthe side wall in communication with the passageway from a positionadjacent the arm rest member back end to a position forwardly thereof,the side wall surface in which the slot is disposed being that surfaceadjacentmost to the side of the chair seat.
 3. The chair as set forth inclaim 2 wherein the back rest tubular members each comprise a hollowarcuately curved semi-circular tubular member of a diameter to betelescopically received within the arm rest member passageway andslidable axially therethrough, the tubular member having a front end, aback end, a hollow passageway extending therethrough, and side wallsdisposed in guiding juxtaposition with the interior side walls of thearm rest passageway; an elongated rectangularly shaped longitudinallyextending slot disposed along a top portion of the tubular side walls ina position about the arm rest member aperture so as to not interferewith operation of the release button during telescopic movement of thetubular member relative to the arm rest member; a plurality oflongitudinally spaced apart diametrically extending holes disposed inthe tubular member side walls along the forward bottom portion thereof,the holes adapted to be brought into axial registration with a portionof the release button for selective locking of telescopic movement ofthe tubular member in the arm rest member; the back rest including apair of side supporting members terminating at a horizontal top edge anda horizontal bottom edge, the side supporting members of the back restadjacent the bottom edge thereof being associated with one of thetubular members and fixed thereto through the associated arcuate slotsof the arm rest members such that rearward movement of the tubularmembers relative to the arm rest members will effect the recliningmovement of the back rest, with forward movement of the tubular membersin the arm rest member effecting the movement of the back rest towardthe upright vertical position.
 4. The cHair as set forth in claim 3wherein the release button comprises: an enlarged button shaped headmember having a flat bottom surface adapted to restingly engage the topportion of the arm rest member about the aperture extendingtherethrough; an elongated solid cylindrical shaft having one endaffixed to the bottom surface of the head portion with the shaftextending outwardly therefrom through the arm rest member aperture andthrough the associated tubular member slot inwardly of the arm rest andtubular member passageway and terminating adjacent the opposite end ofthe arm rest passageway, the shaft being of a diameter to be removablyreceived within the openings in the tubular members to lockingly adjustthe position of the tubular member relative to the arm rest member; awasher shaped disc secured to the shaft adjacent the terminal endthereof and forming an angular shoulder thereabout; and a spiral coilspring disposed concentrically about the shaft between the shoulderforming washer member and the interior surface of the arm rest memberimmediately about the arm rest member aperture and biasing the shaftinwardly of the passageway for engagement with any one of the adjustmentopenings of the tubular member which are brought into axial registrationtherewith.